Marjorie V. Grinnell of Missoula, Montana, and Edina, Minnesota, died March 8, 2020, at age 94. She was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. and Mrs. Ernest H. Volwiler, and her sister, Doris Semler. She is survived by her devoted husband of 73 years, Joseph F. Grinnell; their three children, Stephen (Margaret), Christine (David Burcham) and James (Laura); eight grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren and her brother Wallace Volwiler (Lynn).
Born April 16, 1925, in Chicago, Illinois, Marjorie graduated from De Pauw University in 1946. She married her high school sweetheart, Joseph, when he returned from WWII service in the Navy. Marjorie was a gentle yet determined mother to her children, helping them with their schoolwork, supporting them in their music and athletic pursuits and, by her example, encouraging a love of learning and quiet service. She welcomed and laughed with her children’s friends and, later, embraced her children’s spouses and their growing families.
Marjorie was a dedicated volunteer for organizations including Planned Parenthood, League of Women Voters, AFS and the Edina Public Library. A firm believer in the value of education, she also tutored children in the Minneapolis public school system for many years and maintained nurturing friendships with a number of those children as they grew into adults.
This kind and gracious woman enjoyed a life filled with the arts and travel. She loved books, music and needlework, and her adventurous spirit was equally at home in her cabin in the Gunflint Trail area of northern Minnesota, canoeing Minnesota’s Boundary Waters and cruising the rivers and waters of Europe and the Caribbean.
Marjorie had a unique capacity to keep her loved ones close. Many of her friendships endured throughout her life, and she forged loving relationships with her children’s spouses and adult grandchildren. It is hard to overstate how much she will be missed by her family and friends, who will remember her dedication to them, her example of “doing the right thing” and her love for her husband Jo, who was the center and anchor of her long and happy life.
Marjorie’s family wishes to thank the residents and staff of The Springs at Missoula and Friendship Village, Bloomington, Minnesota, and all of Marjorie’s caregivers from Partners Hospice and Home Instead, for their loving support and compassionate care.
A private interment will be held at Lakewood Cemetery, Minneapolis, Minnesota. If desired, memorials may be made to The National Park Foundation, Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center (Grand Marais, Minnesota), Minnesota Orchestral Association, Alzheimer’s Association, or to a charity of choice.
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